The lands of Torrox
mainly extend through the Torrox valley. In the northern extreme
they narrow with the valley, flanked by the Coscoja mountains
(545 m.) and the Rávita de Torrox mountains (696 m.), which mark
the roof of the municipality, but on exiting the domains of the
Loma de la Rávita hills the municipal district widens to extend
over two other hollows: the Seco river to the east, and the
Manzano brook to the west, the former being separated from the
Torrox river by the Gordo and Pastora hills, and the latter by
the Palagares and Dehesa hills.
The bottoms of the
valleys are generally covered by plots which offer a strong
contrast with the hillsides of the surroundings which are
covered with olives and vines, or in their absence with thickets
and pastures.
The plots to the north
of Torrox, in the Torrox valley, present a special scenic
attraction, as the plots on the banks of the rivers are joined
by others which climb the steep hillsides of the nearby hills in
terraces, forming huge green ‘staircases’ of vegetables and
fruits among which there are subtropical crops. When the valleys
open up to the coast, the agricultural landscape extends from
east to west of the municipality, but here, the hard competition
of the touristic exploitation reflects the forced crops by means
of greenhouses, a system which allows the sale of high market
value products for being on offer out of season. The result of
all this is a strange panorama in which the plastics of the
greenhouses cohabitate with the coastal touristic development,
contrasting with the beautiful landmarks offered by the interior
of the municipality and especially in the town of Torrox.
To the north of the
village in the area of Los Caserones, neolithical remains have
been found, but it is posible that the moment in which these
lands began to meet an important population presence was during
the time of the colonizations.
The existance of a
Phoenician nucleus near the coast seems to be documentally
confirmed. Nevertheless, the first important historical traces
correspond to the Roman era. In the area of Punta de Torrox,
next to the lighthouse and the mouth of the Torrox river, ruins
of many houses, a necropolis and baths have been found. Parts of
a mosaic from this place are in the museum in Malaga and others
are exhibited in Barcelona, where there are also numerous
ornamental objects and household objects found in this
necropolis. This site corresponds to the Roman town of Clavicum
or Caviclum, founded in the 1st century and which was inhabited
until the 8th century, as visigode coins have been found there
too.
During the Arab rule it
acquired considerable importance, outstanding as a handicraft
and commercial centre in the trade of silks and dyes.
Two days after the
taking of Velez by Fernando el Catolico in 1487, the villa and
farmstead surrendered, nevertheless, the following year it was
conquered by the leader El-Zagal and returns to the catholic
king’s hands that same year, receiving the title of "very noble
and very royal village".
After the events of the
Moorish uprising, Tolox had a special importance, the economy
was very affected and the abandonment of the eight Arabic towns
began, which existed in what is today the municipal district:
Alhandiga, Almeida, Arcos, Benamayor, Cajanja, Lantín, Lugarejo
and Periana (which was a different one to the present Periana).
Places to
Visit
The Roman remains found
in the coastal area of the lighthouse. There are the remains of
a village, a necropolis, baths, basins and common kilns.
In the town, of Arabic
origin, there are the remains of turrets and walls. The urban
structure of Torrox is totally Moorish, with narrow, steep and
windy streets, and steps. There we can find unexpected corners
with the typical contrast between the whitewashed walls and the
flower filled pots.
The church of the
Encarnacion is interesting, built over the mosque in the 16th
century, although it was reformed in the 17th century. It has a
baroque structure, three naves, as well as a square based tower.
It is also worth
visiting the church of San Roque, from the 16th century, and the
chapel of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, from the same century
and in Mudejar style, founded by the Padres Mínimos de San
Francisco. An exponent of the ancient commercial splendour of
the city, is the Aduana or Casa de la Moneda, from the 18th
century.
The Casa de la Cultura
(culture centre), erected in 1863, housed the king Alfonso XII
during a visit he made becuase of the earthquake which afflicted
a part of the Axarquía. The hospital of San José is in ruins and
only conserves its facade.
The old craftsmen are
trying to make their art endure through young apprentices. There
are craftsmen who work with lace, leather and wood, but above
all there are works with cane, esparto grass, and textiles for
domestic use.
Gastronomy
Many of the dishes which
are typical of the Axarquía, receive a special touch in Torrox,
as with the ‘migas’ breadcrumbs fried with garlic, ‘gachas’
porridge, ‘maimones’ bread and oil soup, ‘papas a lo pobre’
which literally means poor potatoes, ‘ajoblanco’ cold soup, etc.
There is also ‘zoque’ or ‘gazpacho de tomate’ cold soup, and the
‘ensaladilla ariero’ literally muleteer salad.
On the coast there is
the more common sardine kebabs. Among the sweets there are
‘buñuelos de viento’ sticky buns, and ‘arropía’ syrup. The wines
of the terrain are very famous: one is medium-dry, and another
is called "aguapié", which has less alcohol.
FESTIVITIES
AND TRADITIONS
The festivity of the
Virgen de las Nieves is celebrated in August, and San Roque in
October. Between the 7th and 8th of September they celebrate
Candlmas: they light candles in the country house. A month
later, from the 4th to the 7th of October the major festivities
of the municipality take place.
The festivity of the
‘Migas’ and the terrain’s wines has been turned into a modern
tradition, being celebrated the Sunday before Christmas. On the
24th of June they burn the "juas", a day in which the people
keep the tradition of going to the town’s fountain to wet their
head and ask for three wishes. The May Crosses take place on the
2nd and 3rd of May and the Carnival is celebrated on the last
week of February.
Finally, there is the
Easter, a tradition which is celebrated with the same devotion
as in other towns of the Axarquía.
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